‘Shotgun robber was caught taking a taxi’

Man held after armed raids & hijack bid

A THUG who held up a bookies with a loaded sawn-off shotgun later brandished the weapon to teenagers on a train before trying to hijack a car.

A man was arrested on Sunday after a spree of incidents sparked panic across Dublin, with numerous 999 calls made as he travelled from the northside to the southside.

He first entered a bookies on Dorset Street in the capital’s north inner city holding a sawnoff shotgun and making threats as he demanded money.

He made off with €100 before he boarded the DART to the southside.

On the train, the crazed armed hood showed the weapon he was carrying to two teenagers, believed to be aged around 14.

Later, he stopped a car in the southside and once more brandished the gun in a bid to hijack the vehicle. Sources revealed that after talking him down, those in the car ordered him a taxi on an app which was tracked to the location where he was dropped off.

Gardai were able to then go to this location and make the arrest before bringing him to Dun Laoghaire Garda station where he continues to be quizzed.

A source said: “There was a series of incidents which were extremely serious in nature and very frightening for people who had to witness them.

“However, a number of people raised the alarm with gardai which ultimately led to this man’s arrest and recovery of the firearm.

“But there’s no doubt serious harm could have been done here with a loaded weapon.”

It’s believed the man threw his firearm into a bush before he was arrested but gardai have recovered it.

It will undergo forensic testing to check for the man’s fingerprints and DNA.

Investigators will also establish if the firearm was used in any previous incidents.

CCTV clips will be retrieved and examined by gardai, including footage of the man in the bookies and on the DART.

Statements will also be taken from witnesses and those who called 999.